United for Pakistan
Publishing date: 24 March 2024
Published in: The Nation
The sentiment of renewing pledges and vows resonated as Pakistan celebrated March 23rd. Freedom must be earned and more than that, it must be valued. From the premiers of the country, messages of felicitation came wrapped in resolve to put the country back on track. Economic challenges and staunch belief in economic recovery were reiterated. True that nothing factors in more than economic stability as we speak of Pakistan’s way back to the glory the Founding Fathers envisioned. However, sideways the scourge of terrorism is as big a challenge.
The President expressed a firm stance on no compromise on sovereignty and zero tolerance for terrorism. Likewise, coming from the Foreign Minister, combating terrorism is a later-acquired direction of the foreign policy just like combating climate change and Islamophobia, necessitated by circumstance. All three are now integral pillars of our foreign policy.
Observing Pakistan Resolution Day is, in fact, a commemoration of the nation’s purpose which gathers around the various goalposts, depending on what issues are the most pressing at any given time. Well aware of the economic situation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif rightly took the opportunity to tell people that inflation will recede and economic revival will happen. Likewise, the President expressed his hopes for the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to bring much-needed revenue through investments.
Meeting Barrick Gold, encouraging it to take up more joint ventures in the mineral sectors in Balochistan, and setting up a cabinet body to speed up work on Chinese-invested projects, the Prime Minister is actively taking up the task he committed to. In addition, the conferring of Nishan e Pakistan on the Saudi Defence Minister this year speaks volumes about how much Pakistan values its defence collaboration with Saudi Arabia.
Lastly, it is impossible to celebrate Pakistan Day and forget Kashmir. An integral principled stance, the fascist brutality of India in Kashmir and on Indian Muslims makes us value our freedom even more. The purpose of Pakistan becomes clearer than ever. Rightly pointed out as a threat to regional peace by the President, Kashmiris must live to see the day of their freedom.